Consultant for the Development of Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Strategy for Healthy Diet

Breakthrough ACTION is a cooperative agreement funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to lead its social and behavior change (SBC) programming around the world. It is a partnership led by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP) in collaboration with Save the Children. 

Breakthrough ACTION Kenya is supporting the Division of Family Wellness, Nutrition and Dietetics (DFWND) to develop a National SBC Strategy for Healthy Diet. This strategy will contribute to the Advocacy and Awareness Creation result area of the DFWND Annual Work Plan 2024/25 that is guiding decision makers to implement policies that will improve access to affordable and nutritious food. The strategy will guide the design and implementation of targeted consumer education campaigns to raise awareness and foster behavior change regarding the consumption of available affordable and nutritious foods at the community level. These efforts will drive positive shifts in food choices and promote healthier lifestyles within the population.

Breakthrough ACTION Kenya is looking for a consultant with a broad experience in SBC to lead the process of development of an SBC strategy used to inform client SBC materials for healthy diet. The consultant is expected to work closely with the DFWND and the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education (DHP&E), management and technical officers, technical working groups, the National Nutrition Technical Forum, and nutrition partners and stakeholders during the process of the development of the SBC strategy for Healthy Diet.

i. Prepare an inception report and a workplan with clear timelines.

ii. Develop an evidence-based SBC strategy for healthy diet for tailored to community and decision makers around health diet.

iii. Define the scope of the strategy through a consultative process with DFWND and DHP&E technical working groups, key stakeholders, National Nutrition Forum and nutrition partners for consensus on communication priorities.

iv. Review and analyze research, desk review of key documents, and reports to understand the healthy diet and feeding situation in the country including landscape, past achievement, lessons learnt, best practices, strengths, and weaknesses

v. Define the SBC strategic focus for the various concerned parties as defined by the DFWND and DHP&E

vi. Develop a detailed implementation plan with targets and a monitoring and evaluation plan 

vii. Draft the SBC Strategy and present it to the DFWND and DHP&E technical working groups, key stakeholders, National Nutrition Forum and nutrition partners for validation and for approval after necessary revisions.

viii. Make viable recommendations on operational strategies in the areas of participatory communication, social mobilization and behavior change, and on appropriate materials and media to reach target audiences in diversified contexts.

a) The consultant will work alongside Breakthrough ACTION Kenya staff to facilitate workshops with the DFWND and stakeholders to conceive the concept, draft the strategy and disseminate the strategy with the national key stakeholders. The consultant will use a participatory approach that captures the inputs of DFWND and DHP&E, key stakeholders, nutrition partners, and TWGs.

b) The consultant will conduct:

 An initial consultative meeting with stakeholders

 SBC strategy development workshops with selected members of the DFWND, DHP&E, and partners

 Feedback meetings

c) The DFWND, DHP&E, nutrition TWG and the consultant will review the draft SBC strategy for healthy diet during an in-person and or virtual meetings depending on the situation

d) The consultant will modify the draft based on feedback and share the second draft with the DFWND, DHP&E, and nutrition TWG. Further modifications may be required as necessary.

• Breakthrough ACTION will oversee the logistics planning for meetings, engaging with the consultant during the entire process, identifying stakeholders in consultation with DFWND and linking them to the consultant, within the agreed timeframe.

• DFWND will collaborate with the consultant by sharing the relevant program documents, studies and information needed for the process.

1. Inception report with timeline and budget

2. Report of preparatory workshops

3. SBC strategy for healthy diet with key messages per target group, detailed implementation plan, targets and detailed budget projection with an executive summary.

4. Agenda for the workshops

5. A comprehensive report of document review and analysis

• Proven experience in SBC, Nutrition, public health, health promotion, advocacy, social marketing, and related fields (community mobilization, participatory communication and digital technologies, strategic management).

• Knowledge of the nutrition and Healthy Diets landscape desired.

• At least 5 years' work experience in the development, planning and management of social development programmes, with practical experience in the adaptation and application of the SBC strategy development processes.

• Good communication skills Ability to facilitate discussions between different stakeholders and foster consensus on technical issues.

• Competency in digital technologies.

• Consultant must be fluent in English (spoken and written) with excellent writing and presentation skills.

• Excellent analytical and advocacy skills

• Experience with working in culturally diverse contexts

• Initiate and execute activities in a timely manner

• Masters in Nutrition/Public Health/Health Promotion/Social Sciences or related fields (social marketing, and strategic management)

• At least 5 years’ experience in the development of strategic and policy documents.

• Experience working in public health programs. Knowledge and understanding of the nutrition landscapes is an added advantage

The duration of the assignment is Foty five (45) working days spread over four-month period from May– September 2024.

Send the application to ccpke-info@jh.edu by 16th April 2024

The application should respond to the Terms of Reference that includes;

• A detailed CV

• A summary of relevant services provided, and milestones achieved during the past 3 years; highlighting liaison with relevant ministries

• A proposed methodology (maximum 4 pages), and activity time schedule

• A financial proposal/ budget with the subject “Development of SBC Strategy for Healthy Diet”